AAHA PetsMatter: May/June 2011 Safe Yards and Smart Pets.

As summertime approaches and people begin to think about bringing color back to their lawns, I find myself reminding clients, “When landscaping your yard, please remember that animals are sensitive to topical parasiticides and weed killers.” Then, they always follow up with the question about what kinds of pet-friendly sprays they can put on their yard to keep away weeds, fleas, ticks and other pests.

Summer means it is storm season. You may not have to check with the weather service to find out if lightning is about to strike, however. The answer could be curled up in your lap or resting at your feet. According to a survey by the Associated Press and Petside.com, more than two-thirds of dog and cat owners say they’ve received weather warnings from their pets. Even more surprisingly, almost half report they’ve been alerted to bad news by their animals. Do pets really have this mysterious “sixth sense”?

Veterinary practices provide care to patients that can’t speak for themselves, and as such, the veterinary team relies on the owner for a great deal of information. Communication between clients and veterinary practice team members is critical to providing care for pets. As a pet owner, you’re looking for services that not only make your pets feel better, but help you feel better as well.

Think your pet has a lot of toys? Chances are they don’t compare to Chaser’s, a female border collie with more than 1,000 toys… and she can remember the names of all of them!

A recent study from South Carolina’s Wofford College details an extraordinary experiment in language comprehension and cognition in dogs. The researchers, John Pilley, PhD, a retired psychology professor, and Alliston Reid, PhD, a psychology professor, attempted to see if they could teach a dog (Chaser) not only to identify over a thousand objects but to learn in a way similar to how human children learn.

Rabies is a serious illness caused by a virus that attacks the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). All warm-blooded animals, including wild animals, dogs, cats and humans, are susceptible to it. The disease usually spreads through saliva, for example, when an infected animal bites or scratches another animal or human. With kids out of school for the summer and more time spent outdoors, families should educate themselves about rabies and caution their children about the possibility of exposure.May